I think that Stern’s views on ideology are similar and
different at the same time to those of Conrad and Demarest. Stern focuses on
organization of life and society. With the organization of life Stern discusses
the importance of that the organization of life had to the Inca society. With that
Stern makes a tie with religion and the Andean society and the influence that
the Andean people had on religion. Instead of talking about the Inca people Stern
discussed Huamanga culture and the legacy it became (p23.). Stern puts an importance
the ideology of everyday activities that society does. Stern doesn’t really
focus on the importance some kind of religious ideology but instead focuses on
the importance of ayllu (or household, family, kinship) with the Huamanga
people. In the first chapter Stern discussed the Huamanga society and the ways
of life that the people lived by and the community and the environment around
them. The community was formed in a way
that allowed them to grow and prosper.
I agree with you that Stern looks at ideology the same way as Conrad and Demerest, and like you said he looks at different ideologies than Conrad and Demerest. While C&D focus more on religious ideology Stern focuses more on cultural and social structure. To take it a step further he also looks at these ideologies not only from the Andean people but also the Spanish.Stern talks about three ideologies that the Spanish used as the incentive for the conquest the allure of wealth, the need to advance their social position, and the religious conversion of the indians(xxvii). These ideologies were agents of historical change as they are what led the Spanish to conquer the Andean people. Stern explains how the conquest effected the Andean people, how they resisted and made it difficult for the Spanish to take over completely. One thing he has in common with Conrad and Demerest also is that he refutes parts of the Black Legend. He does agree that the Spanish could be very cruel and violent. He does however take the side of the natives and emphasizes that they were not weak. Stern explains the cultural aspects and social structure of the people in Humanga they have a close relationship with their families and everyone has a part in the well being of the family(6). Stern shows how the ideology of both the Spanish and the Andeans effected history and the conquest, but instead of focusing on mainly religion as Conrad and Demarest, while he does discuss religion it is not in as great detail.
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